Ahmad Zahid’s announcement was met with cheers from UMNO delegates filling the Dewan Merdeka at the World Trade Centre (WTC) Kuala Lumpur.
KUALA LUMPUR: UMNO will establish a Committee on Uniting the Race to review and approve the re-entry of individuals or groups into the party, said UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said the door for anyone wishing to return to UMNO is always wide open.
“We are not an elitist party; UMNO was born from the sweat of the people, and this is also a home for us to reunite — when someone has lost their way, when someone is faltering… return… as the saying goes, lost at the end of the road, return to the beginning.
“UMNO is a house for the race… UMNO teaches us the meaning of struggle. Therefore, to welcome back our relatives, our siblings, our family members, this committee will be established,” he said in his presidential address at the 2025 UMNO General Assembly today.
Ahmad Zahid’s announcement was met with cheers from UMNO delegates filling the Dewan Merdeka at the World Trade Centre (WTC) Kuala Lumpur.
In his roughly one-hour speech, Ahmad Zahid, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, outlined three initiatives to rejuvenate UMNO’s political capacity, focusing on restoring Malay confidence and support, changing the party’s mindset and work patterns, and rebranding within the framework of political cooperation.
He said that in efforts to restore Malay support for the party, UMNO must first correct the party’s narrative in the eyes of the public.
“This is a comprehensive process to rebuild confidence, improve perceptions, restore credibility, and present UMNO as a relevant, fresh and authoritative vehicle for the Malay struggle,” he said.
For this purpose, Ahmad Zahid said UMNO will organise a National Consultation to discuss the political agenda of the Malay community, bringing together all Malay organisations, experts, academics and professionals.
In addressing changes in mindset and work patterns, he said UMNO must be prepared to be a party that is always open to new members and fresh ideas, even if they come from outside the party’s traditional framework.
Ahmad Zahid said current realities also demand that UMNO undertake rebranding within the framework of political cooperation, including reassessing the most suitable forms of political alliances and reviewing the structure of the Barisan Nasional political coalition.
The UMNO president also highlighted three political challenges currently facing the party: cross-coalition politics, the dynamics of Malay politics, and challenges relating to identity and a crisis of confidence.
